CBP Announces New Way to Issue Updates to ABI CATAIR
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted information on the Automated Broker Interface (ABI) User Requirements provided in the Customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements (CATAIR) documentation. The CATAIR provides complete information describing how importers and/or their agents can become ABI participants, as well as how they can provide electronic import information to ABI, and receive transmissions from ABI once they have become a participant.
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Current ABI Documentation in April 2011 Version of CATAIR, but Has Been Subject to Change
The CATAIR begins with general information about ABI participation along with instructions on how to become an ABI participant. The main body of the CATAIR consists of the data record formats used for conducting electronic data interchange (EDI) between the participant's computer system and Customs ABI.
The April 2011 version of the CATAIR is the current documentation under which ABI operates; however, since ABI is dynamic, this documentation is subject to change as needed to reflect current system requirements as enhancements are implemented. The "Changes" section provides a record of all additions, deletions and modifications made to the CATAIR since the previous version (July 2004) that have been incorporated in the current version.
Individual Sections to Be Updated w/ Future Changes Instead of Entire New CATAIR Doc
It is anticipated that future changes will be reflected in updated versions of individual sections instead of producing a new version of the entire CATAIR document. As usual, all such changes will be appropriately announced in advance via administrative message, (see the Administrative Message section of the CATAIR). A summary of these updates will also be included in the "Changes" section.
(See CBP notice for instructions on how to download sections of the CATAIR, or all sections at once.
See ITT's Online Archives 11050214 for summary of April 2011 revisions to CATAIR chapters, which were so numerous, the entire CATAIR was also updated. Note that on January 31, 2012, CBP sources noted that the whole CATAIR is rarely updated; it was only done in April 2011 due to the number of amendments at that time.)
* Updated information on April 2011 CATAIR updates added on 02/01/12.